The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas approved $26.3 million in grants that will support screening and education programs throughout the state.

At its Jan. 18 quarterly meeting, CPRIT’s 11-member governing board approved awards for 12 institutions or organizations with evidence-based prevention programs and services, including Angelo State University, Centro San Vicente, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas Department of State Health Services.

These prevention efforts — including breast screening and tobacco cessation services — will reach more than 1.5 million Texans and result in thousands of Texans being screened for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers. CPRIT doles out awards for prevention, research and commercialization. This meeting’s grant slate focused on prevention grants and two CPRIT scholar grants.

“What’s exciting about these projects is that [three breast cancer programs] are expanding their programs into areas that are not well-covered in the state. They are going into rural counties in North Texas, East Texas and West Texas,” said Rebecca Garcia, CPRIT’s chief prevention officer.

Nevertheless, there has been some concern that parts of the state are either not being adequately covered by CPRIT-funded prevention programs or are not getting their fair share of the grants.

Overall, CPRIT, which is in its third year, has been commended for having a positive impact on the lives of Texans, as well as giving a big boost to the state’s economy. Established by Texas voters in 2007, CPRIT will receive $3 billion in bonds over 10 years to fund cancer research and prevention programs and services in Texas.

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